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Duke  University  Libraries 
To  (he  officers 
Conf  Pam  q#90 

DTlObOfllOX 


(Dire  Cjncf  faiiissarj)  \\.  •£., 

CUE:  '    SKI'T.  UTH,  18**. 

To  the  Offirrrs  and  Agents  of  islence  Deparh  ■'.-■  State  of  North  I 

I  most  respect fally  en'.!  youi  s  annexed  Circular  of  the  Comi  lent!,   appi  of  by   the   lion. 

Secretary  of  War: 

This  Circular  seta  forth  the  Li  I  in  certain  cases,  the  duties  an  1  responsibilities  of  Bonded,  detailed  and 

exempted  Agriculturalists,  (who,  in  fl  ■  '  ir,  arc  considered   "as   much  in  the  sjrrtw  M  ■  been  if  not 


conditionally  exempted,")  and  the  pcnilty  of 

obligations  of  tlieir  li- 
lt also  sets  f»rth  certain  duties  I 
keep  and  perform  ;  not  the  I       I  el 
duty  who  have  been  exempted  or  On  t  riled  f 
clos  of  Army  Subsistence,  or  toga 


their  part  with  a  strict  and  faithful  icrformanco  of  t lie  conditions  and 


inired  of  the  Officer  faithfully  and  diligently  to 

i;h   of  the  Circular,)   is  to  report  all  :<>  military 

any  purpose  whatever,  whenever  foujd  engaged  in  speculating  in  arti- 
■  iial  to  the  interest    i 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  y  ur  moat  ob'l  ser?'t, 

.)  1  X.  Muj.  &C1  S., 

forth*  State  of  N.  C. 


IBCCLAS 


(Jc        \t  Slates  of  %wm,  Subiaimte  department 

.RICnMONU,  SEPT.  6TII,   l-    I 
When  enacting  laws  f<  r  impressment,  '  ■  n   rcss  could  not  have  expected  impressing  officers  as  a  class,  to  be  compctcot  to  settle  tho 
meaning  of  the  word  value  or  just  compcr,  •  Jurists  a::  1  Political  F.cononii-ts  have  been  unable  to   determine  <n  a  definition, 

or  principle  of  ascertaining  the  just  value  of  an  article.     Under  Congress   enicted   that  Commissioners  jointly 

ahosen  by  the  Confederate  and  8tate  Exeontlrea,  should  at  inti   rals  fix  the  ralne  of  con  as  the  best  modi  j  what  was 

just  compensation;  and  thus  fulfilling  thexcansti  quiroment  in   cases   of  impressment.     The  Bchcdules  fixed  by  these  Boards 

for  tho  respective  States  monthly,  were  objected  to  by  certain  p  ies,  and  the  objeotion  sustained  on  me  ground  that  value  at  the  time 
of  an  impressment  could  not  be  determined  by  rates  fixed  anteriorly  :   consequently,  in  any   rase  of  m  h    her  of  property 

in  the  hands  of  speculators  or  producers,  the  appraisement  by  neighbors  selected  by  both  parties  is  required;  and  either  party,  if  not 
satisfied  w:t!i  the  award,  can  appeal  to  the  j  >in t  C 

In  cases  where  one  half  of  the  meat  which  a  parly  b  I  iv,r  the  subsistence   of  those  dependent  on  him,  was  impressed,  in 

accordance  with  the  law  promulgated  in  Geleral  Order  No.  39,  the  necessity  of  promptly  supplying  him  with  an  equivalent,  settled  the 
principle  that  just  compensation  required  the  local  cost  of  the  r.v'iole,  and  such  appraisement  by  neighbors  mutually  selected,  was 
made  final  without  appeal. 

Whenever  the  locil  appraisement  of  a  rain's  surplus  exceeds  the  price  fixed  by  the  last  schedule  of  the  '  era  in  the 

by  an  amount  more  than  to  be  understood  by  any  superiority  of  the  special  articles'  to  the  ordinarytttandard,  and  no  extraordinary 
changes  in  the  condition  of  tho  country  havr  oocurre  1  since  hcdulc  was  fixed  ;  then  the  Impressing  Officer   is  advise  1  to  ap- 

peal from  the  local  appraisement  to  the  Commissioners,  as  the  legally  appointed  tribunals  to  settle  valie,  and  as  in  the  crder  of  reason 
the  most  competent,  they  having  been  constantly  studying  the  circumstances  which  might  modify  conclusions  on  this  mooted  question. 


I 


....  :;■  i  to  give  inform  ition  to  an  Impressing  Agent  who  erbil.it,  his'cre<tsntials,  the  officer  sball  apply  to  tlic  officer 
iocl  •  -  i  the  ncir.  st  reserve  organization,  who  will  bo  required  to  enablo  him  to  examine  into  the  stock  of  supplies  in  the  possession 
,,r  ••  ■.  !-':■  •_•  inform 

been  jiven,  and  the  business  is  only  awaUing  settlement,  if  the  holder,  instead  of  retaining 
I  il  or  Ji-posesof  it  otherwise,  then  the  same  reserve  force  shall  be  invoked,  and  the  impressed  prop- 
id,  or  an  equal  quantity  taken  fr  m  the  party,  on  the  ground  that  he  has  not  alienated  what  was   the  .Government's,  but  what 
he  considered  his  own. 

Officers  will  proceed  to  impress  all  the  supplies  available  as  rapidly  as  they  can. 

Bonded  agriculturalists  are  as  much  in  the  service  as  they  would  have  been  if  nut  conditionally  exempted.  Whenever  one  of  these 
; !  round  bartering  any  of  his  surplus  or  selling  auy  to  others  than  the  Government,  or  families  of  officers  and  soldiers,  or  at  rates  other 
tain  thosj  prescribe!,  or  is  nit  strictly  devoting  his  w'jole  attention  to  tuc  production  of  supplies,  evidence  of  the  fact  must  be  at  onco 
furnished  to  the  appropriate  enrolling  officer,  and  the  name  of  the  party  and  tho  enrolling  officer  sent  to  the  Bureau  of  Conscription.— 
The  District  Attorney  shall  be  furnished  with  the  information  preliminary  to  a  prosecution  of  the  offender  on  his  bond. 

Officers  will  also  ascertain  from  the  bonded  farmers  with  whom  they  deal,  the  amount  of  meat  they  have  contracted  to  deliver,  and 
how  much  surplus  subsistence  they  have,  and  see  that  one-half  goes  to  tho  Government. 

The  Secretary  of  War  will  direct  that  the  orders  to  the  Enrolling  Officers  and  Commandants  of  Reserves  be  given ;  also,  that  direc- 
tions to  the  District  Attorneys  bo  sent  to  prosecute  promptly  all  who  have  not  fulfilled  the  terms  of  their  bonds. 

If  any  man  liable  to  military  service  who  has  been  detailed  or  exempted  from  such  srrvice  for  any  purpose  whatever,  is  fouad 
engaged  in  speculation  in  articles  of  Army  Subsistence  or  engaged  in  any  other  business  prejudicial  to  tho  interests  of  the  Government, 
it  i-  your  duty  as  one  of  its  offic3rs  promptly  to  report  him. 

(Signed)  L.  B.  NORTHROP,  C.  G.  S. 


Approved, 


(Signed)        James  A.  Seddon,  Soc'y  of  War. 


OlTirHl, 


S..B.  Bbf.wer,  Major  &  C.  S. 


pemrulife* 

PH8.5 


